'HISTORY OF THE GREAT WAR BASED ON OFFICIAL DOCUMENTS. THE CAMPAIGN IN MESOPOTAMIA 1914-1918. VOLUME I.' [‎84r] (172/454)

FIGHTING ROUND MUZAIRA'A
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switch by the naval guns. The ships moved a little further
up the stream—the Espi&gle practically dragging through the
mud—and afforded the desired co-operation. Thus supported,
the 120th with the company of the 7th advanced and drove
the Turks out with the bayonet.
In the meantime the Norfolks and the 110th had been
advancing steadily, with their supporting artillery moving up
to closer ranges ; and just before 1 p.m. Muzaira’a was carried
at the point of the bayonet, the enemy not waiting to receive
the charge. Owing to the mirage it was only when our artillery
had got within sixteen hundred yards of the enemy's position
that they were able to see the enemy’s trenches clearly.
The Turks had now evacuated the village and the trenches
south of it and were retiring through the plantations in a
northerly direction ; but they were still holding some trenches
to the northward of Muzaira’a. The 104th, who had closed up,
were ordered to attack these, which were in part enfilading the
line of the 110th. Passing through the 110th, who were in and
near Muzaira’a, and supported by the 76th and 30th Batteries,
they drove the Turks out under the vigorous fire of our artillery.
The 104th pushed on in pursuit for about a mile and a half
north of Muzaira’a, the 76th Battery well up on their right
and the 30th and 82nd Batteries following up on their left rear.
The Turks could be seen by these units in general retreat
northwards on both banks of the Tigris, and our artillery
shelled them vigorously. At this stage the 76th Battery
suddenly found itself enfiladed by two Turkish guns some
four thousand eight hundred yards to the east-north-east. The
76th and 30th both opened fire on these guns at once and
silenced them in a few minutes, their teams being seen to gallop
away and abandon the guns. The British, however, had no
cavalry, and their main force had pushed on into the plantations
facing Quma. It was too far for the batteries and 104th to
advance unsupported and capture these two guns, and they
were removed by the enemy after dark.
The 104th were meanwhile reconnoitring the left bank of the
Tigris to the north of the plantations, and by 4 p.m. a gun of
the 82nd Battery was brought into action here and enfiladed
the Turkish line at Qurna.
The Norfolks and 110th, reforming after the capture of
Muzaira’a, pushed on into the plantations and reached the
river-bank, where they encountered a heavy fire from Qurna.
The British firing line on the river-bank now comprised the
120th (half battalion), 7th (one company), Norfolks, and 110th,